Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I wish to thank Deputy Casey sincerely for raising this important issue. I know it is of great concern to the families affected, many of whom I have had an opportunity to meet, correspond and talk with - as the Deputy has.

I would like to begin by reiterating that the Government's ongoing priority is the safeguarding of vulnerable people who are in the care of the health service, and I appreciate that the Deputy has outlined this also as his ongoing priority. This includes those people who avail of services provided by voluntary organisations such as the service provider in question.

As the Deputy will be aware from his work in Wicklow, Sunbeam House Services is a voluntary organisation providing a wide range of services across east Wicklow and south County Dublin to adults with intellectual disabilities. It is supported financially by the Health Service Executive and received core funding of €24.1 million in 2016. I am very aware of the broad range of supports that Sunbeam House Services has been providing to date for people who have a disability. These services include residential places to those with intellectual disabilities, rehabilitation training places, day services to over 300 clients and home support services to a cohort of 42 adults. It also supports nine respite beds, providing more than 800 places to 51 service users each quarter of each year.

Unfortunately I am also aware that a number of serious issues of concern have been raised by families of service users attending Sunbeam House Services. On foot of these concerns, an externaI assurance review of the systems of governance and management in Sunbeam House Services was recently commissioned by the chief officer of the HSE community health care organisation, CHO 6. I very much welcome that this was an external review because this was important for providing reassurance to families that this would be an external review; someone from outside to look at these issues. The review focused on Sunbeam House Services governance and management structures in respect of the management of complaints, the management of incidents, the management of protected disclosures and the implementation of the HSE’s national safeguarding of vulnerable adults policy.

As part of this process, a review was undertaken of the independent regulator HIQA’s inspection reports on Sunbeam House Services disability residential centres. I understand that in addition the review process involved interviews with families who had raised complaints and concerns. There was also a consultation with service users, because it is important that the voice of the service user is heard in this process, and meetings with staff focus groups.

The review team has now finalised its formal written report in line with its terms of reference. I wish to be clear that I consider the issues to be extremely serious and I have engaged closely with senior management of the HSE regarding the review report. I have stressed the need to ensure that an appropriate implementation plan is put in place as a matter of priority and I understand this is currently being finalised. I will be meeting with HSE management to focus specifically on this issue and I intend to meet tomorrow with representatives of families who have raised concerns. I have been, and will continue to be, very clear that I want to see all recommendations of the report acted upon quickly and any further actions that may be required to be followed up without delay.

In conclusion I wish to assure Deputy Casey that I and my Department will continue to maintain close contact with the HSE with a view to ensuring that all necessary service improvements across the range of services provided by Sunbeam House Services are instigated as soon as possible. I also want to thank the families for coming forward and highlighting these very important issues. If it was not for the families then we would not have the body of knowledge which merited the external review. My assurance to them today on the floor of the Dáil is that each and every one of the recommendations in the report must be implemented by the HSE and by Sunbeam House Services. I expect the HSE to get on with ensuring the implementation plan is in place as a matter of urgency.

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